As summer wraps up, Coloradans are bracing for a sudden winter chill, with forecasts predicting several inches of snow on Sunday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued three winter weather advisories for Colorado, warning that some areas could see up to 8 inches of snow by noon on Sunday. This snowy weather arrives just as summer officially ends on September 22.
“Expect the first significant snowfall of the season in the North Central Mountains starting Saturday afternoon and lasting into Sunday,” NWS Boulder noted on X, formerly Twitter. A storm system bringing cooler air is set to hit, with higher areas above 9,000 feet accumulating between 3 to 8 inches of snow.
Rocky Mountain National Park, the Medicine Bow Range, and the Summit County Mountains are predicted to experience the heaviest snowfall, particularly at elevated spots along I-70 southward.
A separate winter advisory also covers Pikes Peak above 11,000 feet, where 2 to 5 inches of snow could accumulate before noon on Sunday. The third advisory includes elevated areas in the Western Mosquito Range and Eastern Sawatch Mountains.
“Some showers are expected this morning across the central and southern mountains, causing slick conditions in higher areas,” a hazardous weather outlook reported for various regions in Colorado. “A few thunderstorms might redevelop later in the day.”
Drivers navigating these snowy conditions are advised to slow down and drive carefully, according to the NWS.
The NWS also estimates that most areas will see between 0.25 to 0.75 inches of rain. By 6 a.m. on Sunday, rain chances are 60 percent in Denver, Fort Collins, and Sterling, 65 percent in Boulder, and 70 percent in Limon. Fort Morgan could see an even higher probability of 80 percent.
On Sunday, temperatures are forecasted to reach about 59 degrees F. While it may feel like winter is here to stay, warmer temperatures are anticipated as the week progresses, with highs around 78 degrees F on Monday and dropping slightly to 72 degrees F on Tuesday. Just wait for mid-week, when temperatures are expected to climb into the early 80s for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.